Seam-margin-opening device for sewing-machines



G. W. THOMAS AND F. E BRADLEY. SEAM MARGIN OPENING DEVICE FOR' SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED-MAR. lh I918- Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

- 1 UNITED STATES cnnmrnn w. rnouas AND rnnnnmcx E. BRADLEY, or nnxnenron'r, oonnnc'rzeo'r, Assmirons 'ro THE smena manuraoruzamo comrnmz, A .conrommon or NEW JERSEY.

PATENT OFFICE.

SEAM-MARGIN-OPENING DEVICE FOR SEWING-KACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J 1 1921- Application filed March 11, 1918. Serial No. 221040.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARLYLE W. THoMAs and F REDERICK E. BRADLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seam Margin Openlng Devices for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in devices adapted to open the stitched margins of two superposed pieces of material, and has for an object toprovide a simple but effective construction adapted to stitch, trim and open the stitched and trimmed margins during the progress of the material through the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a presser-foot with means to separate the margins of two superposed pieces of material and fold back one of said margins.

The invention comprises stitch-forming and trimming mechanisms of well known construction and including a Presser-foot having a spring-tongue projecting forwardly from the heel portion of the treadsurface thereof. This springtongue is adapted to act as a dividing plate for the marginal portions of the fabrics to be united. The heel portion of the foot is slotted and curved in the form of a guiding scroll, which cooperates with a tongue to fold back the margin of the upper ply after it is stitched and trimmed and is also formed with a shoulder to direct the margin of the lower ply downwardly into a slot formed in the throat-plate, thereby opening out the margins and facilitating the ironing-out of the. same after the stitch-forming operation is completed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a portion of a sewing machine embodying the present improvement. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation and partly in section of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, but as viewed in the opposite direction. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the throat-plate and feed-dogs of the sewing machine. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved presser-foot. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the resser-foot. Fig. 6 is a rear end elevation of the presser-foot and illustrating the stitched, trimmed, and folded material as it issues therefrom. Fig. 7 is a sect1onal view of the product of the machine, but with the two plies of material opened ready for ironing. Fig. 8 indicates the result of ironing-out the margins of the strip, WhlCll is facilitated by the present 1m rovement.

leferring to the drawings, the sewing machine is constructed with a cloth-plate 1, 1nto which is fitted the front slide-plate 2 and the throat-p1ate 3. The throat-plate is slotted as usual' for the passage of the feeddog 4, carried by the feed-bar 5, which may be actuated in any suitable manner. The stitch-forming mechanism of the sewing machlne is of well known construction, including a needle 6, carried by a needle-bar '7 and a cooperating loop-taker 8, the construct1on and operation of which are unessential to an understanding of the present invention.

Opposed to the feed-dog is a presser-foot 9, secured to the usual Presser-bar 10. A portion 11 of the tread surface of the presser-foot is partly cut away to provide clearance for a resilient tongue 12, spaced slightly from said under-cut surface and formed at its forward end into a transverse material dividing plate 12'. The tongue projects forwardly from a supplemental. presser-pl'ate 13, secured by means of a screw 14 to the rear portion of the presser-fo'ot so as to have its lower surface in alinement with the tread-surface of the presser-foot. A folding scroll 16 is formed in the plate 13 and merges at one end into the edge of the tongue 12 and at the other end into the edge-turning wall 17 The presser-plate 13 is provided with a shoulder 18 for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The trimming mechanism comprises a stationary or ledger blade 19 formed in the throat-plate and a movable blade 20 secured by means of a screw 21 to the trimmer-blade carrier 22, mounted on a rock-shaft 23 supported in suitable bearings formed in the bracket 24 projecting upwardly from the cloth-plate of the machine. To the rocks'haft is secured an arm 25 having a fork embracing an eccentric 26 on the actuating shaft 27, and by means of which the trimmer is vibrated.

' terials opened out.

'ment .therefore obviates the distinct opera- .ing the edges of In operation, two superposed pieces of material are passed underneath the resser-foot to the stitch-forming mechanism and upon opposite sides of the resilient ton e 12, c. e., one above and one below sai tongue. After being united by the stitches, the margins of the material are acted upon by the trimmer-blade 20 and severed closely ad acent to the edge of the tongue 12. As the trimmed margin m of the stitched upper ply is fed forward by the feed-dog, it abuts against the folding scroll 16 and is turned upwardly and folded back upon itself. The margin m of the lower ply is directed downwardly by the shoulder 18 with the coopeia tive action of the feed-dog, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the edge of the material being free to enter a slot 28 formed in the throat-plate adjacent the feed-dog. The result of foldthe material is illustrated drawings with both ma- The present improvein Fig. 7 of the tion heretofore necessary of folding back the stitched margins prior to ironingout the same to obtain the product indicated in 8 of the drawings.

fiaving thus set forth the nature of the invention, what we claim herein is -1. In a sewing machine, in comb nat1on, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting the margins of a plurality of superposed plies of material, feeding mechanism, and means for folding back one of the united margins in the operation of uniting the same 2. In a sewing machine, in comb nation, stitch-forming mechanism for umtmg the margins of a plurality of superposed plies of material, feeding mechanism, trimming mechanism for trimming said margins, and means for folding back the united marg ns.

8. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting the margins of a plurality of superposed plies of material, feeding mechanism, and a presser-foot including a folding device for folding back one of the united marglns in the o eration of uniting the same.

4. n a sewing machine, in' combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting the margins of a plurality of superposed plies of material, feeding mechanism, a presserstitch-forming mechanism including a needle, feeding mechanism, and a presser-foot having a foldingscroll in the rear of the point of seam-formation.

6. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting a plurality of superposed plies of material, feeding mechanism, means for trimming the margins of said material, and a resser-foot having a folding scroll in the rear of the point of seam-formation.

7. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting a plurality of superposed plies of material, feeding mechanism, a presser-foot, and a \material dividing tongue sustained by said presser-foot and spaced from the tread-surface thereof, one edge of said tongue merging into a folding scroll for folding back one of the united margins.

8. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting a plurality of superposed plies of material,

feeding mechanism, trimming mechanism,

a Presser-foot, a supplemental presser-plate secured to said resser-foot, a material dividing tongue projecting forwardly from said presser-plate, and a folding scroll formed in said pressei plate and cooperating with said tongue to fold back one of said united margins.

9. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting the margins of two superposed plies of material, an edge folding scroll in the rear. of the point of seam-formation for upwardly directing and folding back one of said margins, and means for downwardly directing the other margin.

101 In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting the margins of a plurality of plies of material, and means for opening said united margins in the operation of uniting the same.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting the margins of a plurality of plies of material, a feed-dog, and an edge-deflecting surface coiiperating with said feed-.dog to fold back one of said margins after they are united.

12. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism for uniting the margins of a plurality of plies of material a presserfoot having an edge-deflecting shoulder and a feed-dog cooperating with said shoulder to fold back one of said mar' gins after they are united.

- In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this s ecification.

CAR YLE W. THOMAS. FREDERICK E. BRADLEY. 

